Petunia plant named ‘Duesurimbu’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Duesurimbu’, characterized by its outwardly spreading to trailing growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; large violet blue-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Duesurimbu’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia,botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by thename ‘Duesurimbu’.

The new Petunia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breedingprogram is to create new Petunia cultivars with early and freelyflowering habit, and unique and attractive flower color.

The new Petunia originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventorin August, 2005 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietary selection ofPetunia×hybrida identified as code number 04-0091-3, not patented, asthe female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection ofPetunia×hybrida identified as code number E-19-219, not patented, as themale, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia was discovered and selected bythe Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of thestated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Rheinberg,Germany in January, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in Rheinberg, Germany since March, 2006, hasshown that the unique features of this new Petunia are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Duesurimbu has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Duesurimbu’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Duesurimbu’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofPetunia:

-   -   1. Outwardly spreading to trailing growth habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   4. Large violet blue-colored flowers.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Petunia differ from plants of the femaleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are not as upright as plants of the        female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia and the female parent selection        differ in flower color.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Petunia differ from plants of the maleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are more vigorous than plants of        the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia and the male parent selection        differ in flower color.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the Petuniacultivar Surprise Blue, not patented. In side-by-side comparisonsconducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Petunia differed fromplants of the cultivar Surprise Blue in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were larger and more vigorous than        plants of the cultivar Surprise Blue.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia had longer internodes than plants        of the cultivar Surprise Blue.    -   3. Plants of the new Petunia had smaller leaves and shorter        petioles than plants of the cultivar Surprise Blue.    -   4. Plants of the new Petunia had larger flowers than plants of        the cultivar Surprise Blue.    -   5. Plants of the new Petunia had longer peduncles than plants of        the cultivar Surprise Blue.    -   6. Plants of the new Petunia and the cultivar Surprise Blue        differed in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Petunia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Petunia. The photograph comprises a close-up view of typicalleaves and flowers of ‘Duesurimbu’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The photograph and following observations, measurements and valuesdescribe plants grown in Rheinberg, Germany, under commercial practiceduring the spring in a glass-covered greenhouse with day and nighttemperatures averaging 18° C. and light levels averaging 4,500 lux.Rooted young plants had been growing for about 16 weeks when thephotograph and description were taken. Plants were pinched one timeabout three weeks after planting. In the following description, colorreferences are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida cultivar Duesurimbu.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Petunia×hybrida identified as code number 04-0091-3, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Petunia×hybrida identified as code number E-19-219, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven days at            temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About ten days at            temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures of 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Outwardly spreading to trailing            growth habit. Freely branching habit with about eight to ten            lateral branches developing from the pinch. Moderately            vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 26 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 33 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 30 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 4 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 3 cm.        -   Strength.—Moderately strong.        -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Color.—144A to 144B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate, simple; after            flowering, opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 4.6 cm.        -   Width.—About 2.8 cm.        -   Shape.—Spatulate to ovate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface:            137A; venation, 144B. Developing and fully expanded foliage,            lower surface: 137C; venation, 144B.        -   Petiole length.—About 5.2 mm.        -   Petiole diameter.—About 2.8 mm.        -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—144B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Relatively large salverform            flowers; singly arising from leaf axils. Freely flowering            habit with usually about 25 to 30 open flowers and flower            buds per plant. Flowers persistent. Flowers face upright to            outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously from            late spring into autumn in Germany. Early flowering habit,            plants typically beginning flowering about nine weeks after            planting.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five days on            the plant.        -   Flower diameter.—About 6.4 cm.        -   Flower length (height).—About 3.1 cm.        -   Flower throat diameter.—About 1.1 cm.        -   Flower tube diameter.—About 3 mm.        -   Flower bud.—Shape: Ovoid. Length: About 4.8 cm. Diameter:            About 8 mm. Color: 144B tinted with 79A.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and            opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:            About 3.1 cm. Petal lobe width: About 2.9 cm. Petal shape:            Spatulate. Petal apex: Acute. Petal margin: Entire. Petal            texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny.            Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Pubescent.            Color: Petal, when opening and fully opened, upper surface:            89A to 89B; venation, 86A. Petal, when opening and fully            opened, lower surface: 83B; venation, 86A. Flower throat:            86A; venation, 86A. Flower tube: 79A to 79B; venation, 86A.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five            sepals fused at the base per flower. Sepal length: About            3 cm. Sepal width: About 5 mm. Sepal shape: Narrowly oblong.            Sepal apex: Rounded. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, immature and            mature, upper surface: 137A. Color, immature and mature,            lower surface: 137C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.9 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color:            144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Five per            flower. Anther shape: Ovate. Anther length: About 2.5 mm.            Anther color: 90C to 90D. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen            color: 122B. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil            length: About 3 cm. Style length: About 2.6 cm. Style color:            145C tinted with 79B. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color:            103A. Ovary color: 144B.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Petunia.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to    have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 2° C. to about 38° C.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia.

1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Duesurimbu’ as illustrated and described. 